British surprised by QR payments in Kazakhstan

Simon, a British national living in Almaty and married to a Kazakh citizen, said he is still surprised by QR codes which are integrated into everyday life in Kazakhstan. A video capturing his impressions was published on TikTok, El.kz reports.

In the video, Simon highlights several digital services that have become routine for residents of Kazakhstan, including electronic menus in cafés, call buttons for requesting waiter assistance, QR code-based payments, electronic queue management systems in government institutions, and cashless fare payment for public transport. While these services have become an integral part of daily life for local residents, Simon compared Kazakhstan’s level of digitalisation with that of the United Kingdom and other Western countries.

“Kazakhstan really loves QR codes,” the British resident joked.

According to Simon, QR codes in Kazakhstan are used to acilitate a wide range of activities, from ordering food and requesting waiter assistance to making payments, paying for transport, and accessing public services. He noted that although QR codes are also used in Western countries, they are, in his view, not implemented as comprehensively or as effectively.

The blogger also compared customer service practices in cafés in Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom. He observed that in Almaty, customers can simply press a call button to request waiter assistance, whereas in many British places visitors may have to wait until a staff member notices that they are ready to request the bill.

Simon’s video generated extensive discussion among TikTok users. Many commenters from Kazakhstan noted that these digital solutions have become so deeply integrated in everyday life that their advantages are often fully appreciated only when compared with practices in other countries.